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Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary

Q: Is Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary a good school?

Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary ranks 324 th of 450 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades 7-12

324^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 450 Minnesota High Schools

Better than 28% of Minnesota high schools

Summary

Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary is a public high school serving grades 7-12 in Okabena, Minnesota, with 158 students. The school is part of the Heron Lake-Okabena School District, which is ranked 314 out of 446 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary consistently underperforms compared to the state average on standardized tests, with only 18.18% of 11th graders proficient in math in 2024-2025, compared to the state average of 34.96%. The school's 4-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 83.3% and 92.8%, which is below the state average, and its dropout rate has ranged from 3.5% to 4.7%, higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 54.43% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2023-2024.

Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary's performance is significantly worse than nearby schools like Jackson County Central Senior High and Windom Senior High on academic metrics. The school's statewide ranking has steadily declined from 240 out of 489 Minnesota high schools in 2016-2017 to 324 out of 450 in 2024-2025, with a consistent 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. This suggests that the school is struggling to address its academic challenges and may need to implement significant interventions to improve student outcomes.

137

Students ?

13.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,601

Per pupil spending ?

45.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

124 N Minnesota Ave
Okabena, MN 56161-4000

(507) 853-4507

District: Heron Lake-Okabena School District

Feeder schools for Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary:

Elementary:

Heron Lake-Okabena Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.1%

Hispanic:

16.8%

Two or more races:

5.8%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 16th percentile in 2022 → 28th in 2025

Strengths

✓93% graduate in 4 years — above the Minnesota average (84%)

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 28th (2025) from a 16th-percentile low (2022)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (29% vs 47% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Math scores 21 pts below the Minnesota average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school29%

District avg36%

Minnesota avg47%

Middle school

366^th of 519

Minnesota public middle schools ?

Bottom 29%▲ up 4 pts since 2015

From bottom 25% (2015) to bottom 29% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

324^th of 450

Minnesota public high schools ?

Bottom 28%▼ down 14 pts since 2015

From bottom 42% (2015) to bottom 28% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

314^th of 446Heron Lake-Okabena School District among Minnesota districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	34.6	366 of 519	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.5	408 of 545	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	12.0	478 of 529	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	25.0	401 of 520	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.4	438 of 521	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.0	473 of 533	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.7	446 of 518	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	43.0	325 of 523	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	22.6	421 of 508	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	31.3	386 of 516	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	45.4	290 of 490	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2013	44.6	300 of 488	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2012	26.1	392 of 469	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	26.8	398 of 478	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	34.3	358 of 454	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	42.8	158 of 230	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	45.5	267 of 409	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	49.4	241 of 403	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	54.8	219 of 406	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	46.2	277 of 396	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2004	3.1	362 of 387	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2022	24.3	372 of 467	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	6.0	427 of 443	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.6	395 of 436	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	23.4	393 of 473	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.1	317 of 404	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.0	377 of 399	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	4.5	392 of 401	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	28.9	363 of 479	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	47.2	253 of 476	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	19.2	376 of 438	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2018	33.6	178 of 253	29.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	31.9	299 of 415	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.3	355 of 440	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	8.3	421 of 436	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	20.1	389 of 438	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	11.4	400 of 422	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	13.5	401 of 428	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.2	399 of 428	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	34.0	324 of 450	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.0	351 of 480	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.1	384 of 476	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.0	396 of 472	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.5	354 of 428	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.8	303 of 492	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.5	310 of 494	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	58.8	240 of 489	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	22.4	382 of 489	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	51.2	293 of 504	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	32.3	364 of 483	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	42.3	353 of 534	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	44.9	353 of 539	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	61.8	255 of 545	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	63.9	231 of 540	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	60.8	120 of 234	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	40.1	335 of 460	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	55.1	259 of 463	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	85.5	41 of 450	90.9%	★★★★★
2005	81.1	42 of 452	90.7%	★★★★★
2004	84.8	13 of 433	97.0%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	39.5	241 of 358	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	4.0	389 of 403	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	17.2	345 of 396	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.8	350 of 388	9.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	34.4	254 of 339	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.3	343 of 401	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	14.6	353 of 389	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	35.3	277 of 393	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	3.0	267 of 270	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	50.7	213 of 405	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	10.3	367 of 398	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.4	366 of 403	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.7	322 of 351	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	36.9	293 of 398	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	29.1	301 of 376	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.4	362 of 402	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.4	361 of 398	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	18.5	357 of 401	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.7	304 of 364	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	40.2	287 of 412	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.6	337 of 414	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Middle school

Special Education (2018)30th percentile+16 vs school

White (2025)28th percentile~ school

Male (2024)24th percentile~ school

Female (2022)20th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)17th percentile-8 vs school

High school

Male (2024)47th percentile+21 vs school

Female (2025)33rd percentile+5 vs school

White (2025)20th percentile-8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)9th percentile-18 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2024-2025) ?

Reading33%-17 vs state

Math25%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCA-III Math (2025)				MCA-III Reading (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	Total
Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary	Public	7-12	124 N Minnesota Ave	Okabena	56161	Jackson County	Heron Lake-Okabena School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 853-4507	137	10	13.6	45.3%	96 (70.1%)	3 (2.2%)	23 (16.8%)	3 (2.2%)	4 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.8%)	34	324^th of 450 public high schools	28.0%		31	351^st of 480 public high schools	26.9%	27	16.7	46.2	18.2	24.5	15.8	46.2	40.0	32.7	$16,601
Starrs Online Academy	Public	6-12	1012 5th Avenue	Windom	56101	Cottonwood County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	No	No	No	(507) 360-1876	0	5	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Windom Senior High	Public	9-12	1400 17th St	Windom	56101	Cottonwood County	Windom Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 831-6910	327	23	14.1	46.8%	201 (61.5%)	2 (0.6%)	95 (29.1%)	8 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.1%)	11 (3.4%)	71.7	128^th of 450 public high schools	71.6%		60.3	207^th of 480 public high schools	56.9%	79			40.3	40.3			54.1	54.1	$15,372
Windom Learn Center Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	1400 17th St	Windom	56101	Cottonwood County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	No	No	No	(507) 831-6910	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
SWWC Alternative Learning Center - Windom	Public	9-12	1454 6th Ave	Windom	56101	Cottonwood County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	No	No	No	(507) 537-2258	41	3	13.6	63.4%	28 (68.3%)	3 (7.3%)	5 (12.2%)	1 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.4%)	3 (7.3%)								(n/a)			0.0	0.0
Worthington Senior High	Public	9-12	1211 Clary St	Worthington	56187	Nobles County	Worthington Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 376-6121	1,118	64	17.5	60.5%	227 (20.3%)	52 (4.7%)	720 (64.4%)	86 (7.7%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (0.9%)	22 (2.0%)	17.9	384^th of 450 public high schools	14.7%		21.8	385^th of 480 public high schools	19.8%	1			13.3	13.3			26.8	26.8	$11,524
Fulda Secondary	Public	7-12	410 College Ave	Fulda	56131	Murray County	Fulda Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 425-2514	157	10	15.2	40.1%	119 (75.8%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (16.6%)	8 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.5%)	44.7	278^th of 450 public high schools	38.2%		49	263^rd of 480 public high schools	45.2%	15	20.0	30.4	21.4	23.5	26.7	43.5	47.6	37.8	$16,508
Jackson County Central Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	1128 North Highway	Jackson	56143	Jackson County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	No	No	No	(507) 847-5310	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Jackson County Central Senior High	Public	9-12	1128 N Hwy	Jackson	56143	Jackson County	Jackson County Central School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 847-5310	332	21	15.9	35.2%	282 (84.9%)	7 (2.1%)	26 (7.8%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.2%)	70.5	133^rd of 450 public high schools	70.4%		64.7	174^th of 480 public high schools	63.8%	41			37.3	37.3			55.4	55.4	$12,496
Virtual Instruction by Excellence S	Public, Virtual	7-12	825 N Crailsheim Rd	Worthington	56187	Nobles County	Worthington Public School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(507) 372-1322	124	4	32.6	49.2%	103 (83.1%)	3 (2.4%)	12 (9.7%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.0%)								(n/a)				35.7				64.3

Frequently Asked Questions about Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary

What is the racial makeup of Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary?

Students at Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary are 70% White, 17% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 2% African American, 2% Asian.

Is Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary a good school?

Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary ranks 324^th of 450 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary in?

Heron Lake-Okabena School District

How many students attend Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 137 students attended Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary.

What schools feed into Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary?

Heron Lake-Okabena Secondary is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Heron Lake-Okabena Elementary

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Schools in Okabena, MN

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.